Managing Safety and Health

"The discipline that goes into a safety program will spill over into production and quality control. People will be more aware of safety and how they do their jobs. We believe it will work to our benefit with production and quality."

Ben Church, Kaiser Industries

Safety Management Systems

A safety and health system for your business

As an employer, it is your responsibility to maintain a safe and healthy
workplace. A safety and health management system, or safety program,
can help you
focus your efforts at improving your work environment. Whatever you call it,
your plan describes what the people in your organization do to prevent injuries
and illnesses at your workplace.

Your organization will have its own unique system, reflecting your way of doing business, the hazards of your work, and how you manage the safety and health of your employees:

If you manage a small business in a low-risk industry, your system
may simply involve listening to your employees' concerns and responding
to them.

A large business in a hazardous industry may have notebooks full
of written policies and procedures and a full-time safety director.

What's most important is that your system works for your organization. It's up to you to decide how best to operate a safe and healthy workplace, and to put your plan into practice.

What makes a successful system?

A successful system will be part of your overall business operation, as important as the other things you do to succeed in business.

Take a look at your safety and health system. Some components may be strong and others may need to be strengthened. The following sections describe these key factors and give ideas about how to make them part of your program. And remember, if you operate one of many thousands of small businesses in Maine, your system can be simple and largely informal.

Use the following as a practical guide and adapt it to your needs. Because small businesses often cannot afford in-house safety and health professionals, you may need help setting up your system. You can call SafetyWorks! --- our services are free and confidential. Your workers' compensation insurance provider, your industry organization, or a private consultant may also be able to help.

I. Make a commitment

Put as much energy into your commitment to safety and health as you put into any other important part of your business. Make sure to include workplace safety and health in your business plan and integrate it into all facets of the business.

Write a policy that emphasizes the importance you place on workplace
safety and health.

Let employees know they will be expected to follow safe work
practices if they work for your business. And follow them yourself.

Respond to all reports of unsafe or unhealthy conditions or work
practices.

If injuries or illnesses occur, make it your business to find
out why.

Go beyond the regulations; address all hazards, whether or not
they are covered by laws.

II. Involve employees

In a safe and healthy workplace, employees have a stake in the success of the program --- safety and health is everyone's responsibility. Actively encourage employee involvement if you want your program to succeed. Hold people accountable and makes sure everyone does their part.

Value employee input and feedback. Employees often know more
about safety problems and solutions than managers do.

Make sure employees help review and improve the program.

Hold employees accountable

Include safety and health responsibilities in job descriptions.
Make following safe work practices part of performance evaluation.

Set safety goals and hold everyone accountable.

Discipline employees who behave in ways that could harm themselves
or other.

Establish a clear system for reporting hazards, injuries, illnesses
and close calls.

Recognize employees who contribute to keeping the workplace safe
and healthy.

"… we’ve had the employees involved with safety. They
are aware of what’s going on and at this plant there is a culture
of people who constantly are looking out for each other and if they see
that someone is doing something unsafe or risky, they are going to say
something to them. They are not afraid to go directly to that person and
say, you should have your hair tied back, or your safety glasses on, or
you shouldn’t
really be reaching into there."

Ken David, Pride Manufacturing

III. Identify and control hazards

Before you can control hazards you need to know what the hazards are. Here
are some ways to identify safety and health hazards:

Personal protective equipment puts a barrier between the employee
and the hazard, using, for example, gloves or safety
shoes. If you use personal protective equipment, you have to assess
the hazard beforehand and train employees
the right way to use the equipment.

Evaluate the changes to make sure they have corrected the
problem and not created other hazards. And periodically re-survey the work
environment and work practices.